


as time goes

by croissantbleu



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Crushes, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, hinata's surprisingly good with words in this, set in the training camp from s2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-19 02:54:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22504057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/croissantbleu/pseuds/croissantbleu
Summary: "Kenma had figured out he liked Shouyou a little while back, just didn't put more thought into it because frankly, he's not sure what he's supposed to do, but he's pretty sure he just fell in love right now. He'll figure this out later."After practice at the training camp, Kenma and Hinata have a talk about friendships.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma
Comments: 2
Kudos: 124





	as time goes

The question falls from his lips one day, when he doesn't expect it. He’d skipped out on free practice as he always did, because he doesn't like training harder than he needs to and he's already more tired than he'd like to be, but he had a question for Kuroo - he wants to get back that game he lent him forever ago that he said he'd bring to the training camp - but he isn't there when Kenma steps in the gymnasium again. Shouyou is, however. 

"Kenma!" he runs towards him excitedly, cheeks red and eyes sparkling, and Kenma suddenly feels an urge to hide somewhere before his too-high energy levels rub off on him. "Did you come to practice?" 

“No, I’m looking for Kuro.”

“Ahhh, then he must be in that other gym with Bokuto,” Shouyou looks towards the door, a pout appearing on his face. “I wanted to go practice with them but Kageyama says we need to get more in sync and, y’know, he isn’t wrong so I didn’t have an excuse.”

He looks frustrated and determined at the same time, somehow, and Kenma finds there’s something endearing and slightly confusing about it, but that’s how Shouyou always is to him. He briefly considers going over to bug Kuro until he gets his game back, but he figures that’s more effort than he’s willing to make right now. He doesn’t feel like going back right now, though, so maybe he’ll just stick around for a little while longer. 

Shouyou looks like he's about to say something but Kageyama beats him to it, yelling out for him to “get his ass back here before he drags him himself” and Shouyou seems to shiver at the thought, which doesn’t stop him from replying that he’d like to see him try, yelping in surprise and quickly changing the subject when Kageyama’s expression becomes menacing. Kenma almost smiles and goes to sit against a wall, knees close to his chest. It really must be exhausting to play on the same team as him, he thinks, as he watches Kageyama and him pull off that monster quick again. It’s far from the first time he’s seen it, they’ve played enough practice matches that he’s grown familiar with it now, but there’s always a vague feeling of dread in his stomach the first time they do it in a match, as if he couldn’t really get used to it.

The sound of shoes squeaking against the floor and balls hitting the ground is oddly comforting, familiar and almost regular, and he quickly loses track of time. They really are nothing alike, he thinks, looking at Shouyou nearly get into a fight with Kageyama for some reason he can’t figure out, until he ends up sitting down next to Kenma with his drink.

“Needed a break,” he says, answering Kenma’s silent interrogation. “I could keep going, but then everyone’s going to be mad at me if I get hurt.” He shudders and grimaces. “I don’t want the captain to be mad at me… I don’t even want to imagine it.”

Without thinking, Kenma asks the question that’s always somewhere in the back of his mind whenever Shouyou is around.

“Isn’t it tiring? Getting along with everyone so much, even your opponents,” he adds to clarify.

“Not really,” Shouyou shrugs after a second. “It’s just nice to have friends, I guess, y’know? Why?”

It’s Kenma’s turn to shrug. He’s not quite sure what he means himself. “It takes energy to get close to someone, but you look like you’re just… doing it effortlessly with anyone. Of course, it’s important to share bonds with your teammates so you can work well together but…”

“Ah, well,” he scratches the back of his neck. “Like I said, it’s just nice to make friends. Sure, it takes time and energy but it’s worth it in the end, don’t you think?”

Kenma thinks about it for a minute. He’s gotten close to everyone on his team, but it’s obviously worth it to win matches. The thought that he mostly wants to win for the sake of his teammates more than his own briefly comes to his mind, but he pushes it away.

“It's only high school,” he says in the end. “Only three years, and you'll probably never see these people ever again. That's just what happens. You go to different colleges, you move away, you lose touch. And you'll have spent all this energy and time for nothing, just to be hurt later because you miss them. Or worse, you both forget about each other, and what’s the point then?”

He’s surprised when Shouyou gives him a wide smile, so bright he briefly wonders if his cheeks are going to split open.

“Even if it's temporary, having friends and being around them makes you happy, right? Even if it's only for a few years, it's already pretty good. Things don’t need to last forever to have value, it’s fine to just… live in the moment a little. I sure hope I’ll get to fight against Kageyama one day,” he looks in his direction on the other side of the court. “But as long as we’re on the same team, I trust he’ll get me the perfect ball to spike as many times as we need, right? Friendships are the same. I don’t think it’s a waste at all. You get that with Kuroo, don’t you?”

Kenma had figured out he liked Shouyou a little while back, just didn't put more thought into it because frankly, he's not sure what he's supposed to do, but he's pretty sure he just fell in love right now. He'll figure this out later.

“Kuro’s different,” he turns to look ahead of him. “I’ve basically known him forever, and I doubt I’ll end up losing sight of him. He’s persistent,” he adds like a complaint, but he smiles.

“If that’s all,” Shouyou says in a tone that makes Kenma look up to see him holding out his fist like he’s waiting for him to bump it so he does, hesitantly, and Shouyou grabs his hand and continues talking before he can react. “Then we’ll stay in contact too! So you won’t be able to say it wasn’t worth it,” he grins proudly, and Kenma doesn’t think he can ever get used to just how bright he shines.

“I wouldn’t have thought that,” he replies quietly.

Shouyou looks at him with raised eyebrows and curious eyes before realizing he’s still holding onto his hand.

“Ah, sorry!” he drops it immediately and Kenma wraps his arm around his knees again. “I got a little carried away there, hehe, sorry,” he runs a hand through the back of his hair, cheeks growing red. 

“It’s alright,” Kenma says calmly. “I don’t mind.”

Shouyou's gaze is on him like he's trying to read his expression, but whatever he is about to say gets interrupted by a voice coming closer.

“Kenma, still here after practice ended? Are you alright?”

He turns his head to see Kuroo walking through the door.

“Kuro. I was looking for you, but then I didn’t want to go to the other gym,” he replies, standing up.

"Me, what for?" Kuroo asks. "Oh, hey Shrimpy. Didn't see you there." 

"Hey, I'm not that much shorter than Kenma," Shouyou jumps up, almost looking like he's trying to pick a fight, but it just makes Kuroo laugh. 

"I wanted to get my game back," Kenma says. "Did you bring it? I forgot to ask earlier."

"Ah, yeah, it's in my bag upstairs, we can go get it now if you want."

"Please," Kenma nods. 

"Sure. Well, see you tomorrow Shrimpy," Kuroo says towards him and starts to walk away. 

"See you tomorrow!" he replies with a wave. 

"Yeah… and, Shouyou? I'm glad to be your friend," he adds with a small smile. 

Shouyou just looks at him for a second, before breaking into a wide grin once again. His cheeks must be hurting at this point, Kenma thinks. 

"Me too!" 

Kenma's smile grows just a little more and he turns around, joining Kuroo who's waiting for him at the door. 

"Eh, would little Kenma happen to have a crush?" Kuroo teases, at least having the decency to wait until they're out of earshot. 

"Shut up, Kuro" he sighs. 

Kuroo, of course, does not shut up until they've made it to the room with the rest of the team. Kenma vaguely entertains the idea of messing with his hair as retaliation, but he decides he can't be bothered to deal with the consequences later. He'll wait until he not expecting it to get his revenge. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> Of course my first hq fic is one i wrote overnight because i couldn't sleep and couldn't get this discussion out of my head. I'll be writing longer hq fics with an actual plot in the near future (hopefully), so I'm looking forward to that!  
> Please feel free to leave a comment, or follow me on twitter [@transkrpk](https://twitter.com/transkrpk) !


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